1. Field of the Invention
This invention creates a new and improved trap for catching small fish. The novel design of this invention takes advantage of the fact that when two cylinders are adjacent to each other they will form a converging entrance which serves as a funnel to the invention. The novel shape of this invention prevents the captured fish from escaping or injuring themselves within the trap. Once sufficient small fish have been captured, the trap and a portion of the catch will be used as a decoy to entice larger or game fish to a specific area. At the completion of this task, the trap will be collapsed into the top panel, creating a compact package of minimum space.
2. Description of Prior Art
Using traps to gather bait fish is centuries old. Most of the known art uses some type of rectangular structure as an openwork cage, having one or two open ends which are closed, or approximately so, by truncated conical funnels. Such prior art traps are usually made of a metal net like material which is susceptible to rusting after a period of time.
The current art utilizes some type of food cage which is located in the middle of the trap. The target fish detects the food from outside the trap. The target fish may be at a side where there is no opening, and to get to the food the target fish would have to swim around a corner, away from the food, and may thereby lose interest in the food. This fault contributes to the reduced efficiency of capture in prior art.
The current art is mostly rectangular shaped with corners on each side of the trap and corners at the fish entrances. The target fish can get entangled and injured in these corners. Those injured or killed are not very effective as live bait and are simply discarded by the fisherman. This waste affects the efficiency of the known art.
Another problem with known type of bait traps which are collapsible is that they are of material that is rigid either being plastic or metal. Both materials limit the degree to which the traps may be collapsed, making the trap heavier and more bulky than is desired for convenient portability.
Still another problem with known bait traps is that they are not made so that they can be easily handled, stored, and shipped in a safe, convenient, and inexpensive form and manner.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of small fish traps now present in the prior art, there continues to be a need for a new and improved fish trap apparatus as set forth by the instant invention which addresses both the problem of "ease of use" as well as effectiveness in construction. In this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
Known prior art devices which may be pertinent to this invention are listed as follows U.S. Pat. Nos.:
2,979,855--Apr. 18, 1961 PA1 3,906,654--Sep. 23, 1975 PA1 3,906,655--Sep. 23, 1975 PA1 4,134,225--Jan. 16, 1979 PA1 4,979,328--Dec. 25, 1990 PA1 5,076,007--Dec. 31, 1991 PA1 5,119,584--Jun. 9, 1992 PA1 5,131,184--Jul. 21, 1992 PA1 1) The first category would be those captured small fish that will be able to be used as live bait. They would be removed from the invention and used as intended. PA1 2) The second category would be those small fish that are too large or not appropriate for bait; they would remain in the invention. The invention and those captured that are inappropriate for bait fish, would be moved to an area that the game fish are believed to be in. Those fish within the invention would be making noises which would attract and tantalize game fish. The excitement and disturbance the trapped fish make will lure game fish to the area to investigate. PA1 3) The third category would be those small fish that cannot be legally caught or are immature and not effective as bait; these fish would be returned to the water unharmed.
None of these devices offers the new and novel features of the invention disclosed herein.